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Biomedical subjects

Lucio A Rinaldi

Publications and source records attributed to Lucio A Rinaldi.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Effectiveness of fingertip light contact in reducing postural sway in older people.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: haptic cues from fingertip light touch (LT) with a stationary surface reduce postural sway even at non-mechanically supportive force levels. Aim of this study was to determine the effects of LT on postural sway in older compared with younger persons. SUBJECTS: twenty young (age 20-29, mean 23.9 + 2.5) and 20 older participants (age 65-83, mean 74.3 + 6.4). METHODS: subjects stood in the semi-tandem position on a firm surface, and their postural sway was quantified using a force platform. Experimental trials, randomised across subjects, included two sight conditions (vision and no vision) and three contact conditions (no touch, NT; light touch, LT; and force touch, FT). The measured parameters were the length and the area of centre of pressure sway (COP-L and COP-A) and the mean velocity of COP displacements in the anterior-posterior (COP-AP) and medial-lateral (COP-ML) direction. RESULTS: for all variables, the analysis showed significant differences between contact conditions, sight conditions and age. Contact-age interaction was significant between NT and LT conditions, with older participants showing greater decrease in postural sway than younger participants, but not between FT and LT conditions. CONCLUSIONS: results indicate that the effectiveness of LT in reducing postural sway may be greater in older than in younger persons, perhaps because in older persons haptic cues from upper extremity might counterbalance sub-clinical sensory loss in the lower extremities. This finding supports the hypothesis that older people may sometimes use a walking aid as an informative device and suggests that during balance training external aids should not be used.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

The scale for contraversive pushing: A reliability and validity study.

OBJECTIVE: Pushing toward the hemiplegic side can interfere with mobility training after stroke. This study estimated the internal consistency, interrater reliability, and validity of the Scale for Contraversive Pushing (SCP). METHODS: Twenty-six patients with recent stroke were diagnosed with pusher behavior (PB). Two testers, randomly selected from 3 other examiners, independently assessed each patient using the SCP on the same day within 3 days of admission for rehabilitation. Cohen kappa coefficient was used to determine the agreement between the clinical and SCP diagnosis. The interrater reliability of the scale was estimated by calculation of the intraclass correlation coefficient. Cronbach's alpha coefficient and Pearson's coefficients were used to estimate the internal consistency of the scale and correlations between the subscores and the total score. RESULTS: The agreement between SCP and clinical diagnosis was very low when the original cutoff criterion for SCP diagnosis was used but was almost perfect with a modified criterion. The interrater reliability was good to excellent with regard both to each sub-score and to the total score. The internal consistency was very high, along with correlations between subscores and total score of the scale. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide support for use of the SCP based on its reliability and validity using a modified cutoff criterion to make a diagnosis of PB.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

[Cardiac rehabilitation in the elderly].

Cardiac rehabilitation is an integral component of secondary prevention, and is indicated for patients with a wide variety of cardiac conditions, ranging from coronary artery disease to chronic heart failure. Best results are obtained with integrated, multicomponent cardiac rehabilitation programs, which include exercise training together with counseling and psychosocial measures that may help patients maintain sustained changes toward a more healthy lifestyle. Evidence from randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses supports the efficacy of cardiac rehabilitation on clinically relevant outcomes such as reduced long-term morbidity and mortality, enhanced functional profile and improved control of cardiovascular risk factors. However, the vast majority of this evidence derives from trials with only small numbers of patients > 70 years of age. In elderly patients the goal of cardiac rehabilitation may differ from those of younger patients, and include the preservation of mobility, self-sufficiency and mental function. Cardiac rehabilitation my represent an opportunity to provide effective health care and achieve a high quality of life for older patients. Future research programs should therefore be aimed at specifically investigating the efficacy and effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation in older, frail cardiac patients.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Glenohumeral subluxation in hemiplegia: An overview.

This review summarizes the recent advances in glenohumeral subluxation (GHS) in hemiplegic patients and analyzes the reliability and validity of clinical evaluation and the effectiveness of different treatment approaches. GHS, a common complication of stroke, can be considered an important risk factor for shoulder pain and other problems. GHS is a complex phenomenon, and its pathomechanics are not yet fully understood. Radiographic measurements are considered the best method of quantifying GHS. Clinical evaluation can be useful as screening assessment. Functional electrical stimulation and strapping are effective in an acute stage of hemiplegia; some types of slings have been shown to be effective and may be used together with other strategies.

Causality↗